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firefly
Posts: 23248
Alba Posts: 17
Joined: 7/26/2004
Member: #721
United Kingdom
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Just managed to watch the England game. Recorded it, then watched it later without knowing the score.
What a cr@p game! Honestly, if we play like that, we have no chance of winning anything! Beckham's quality ball in the first 5 minutes was the difference, but Owen showed he's not ready fitness-wise, and has lpst some of his sharpness. Crouch was largely anonymous. The best player England-wise was Joe Cole, who showed some good skills, but the attacking instinct just wasnt there today. We desperately need Rooney back, he will change the England mentality completely. We looked solid at the back though, so I suppose thats one good thing, but what a booooring game.
Now, I've been reading some peoples posts about the Germany game, and I must intercede here. Germany played terribly. Yes, you cant complain about a 4-2 result, but their defense was absolutely shocking. Infantile. They will be found out, and soon. Costa Rica's defending was worse, and thats why Germany won. Costa Rica never defended the flanks, and the Germany wingers and full-backs had free rein. That lead to the first goal, and was a factor in the second and third as well. If you watch the game again, you will notice the high line the German defense was playing, hoping every time for the offside call. But good teams will time their runs, and the German's will not progree.
Equador beating Poland was the shock of the tournament so far. This was meant to be a straight-forward Germany-Poland group, but Poland will gain heart from the German defensive performance, and the Germans will do the same after the Poland result. Its looking very possible right now that Equador might qualify from that group. The winner of that group plays the second placed team in England's group and vice versa, so I will be keeping a close eye on them.
The Ivory Coast team are very dangerous, and should not be underestimated. They have a good chance of progressing, and on their day, they could get through to the quarter-finals.
Trinidad and Tobaga's draw against Sweden was couragous, brave and very impressive. Sadly, T&T are just not good enough to get through to the knockout stages, but if Sweden slip up against Paraguay, T&T will be looking to stun a few people.
Marv, Nate is fast quick and strong, but does he have the quickness to trouble defenses in soccer? It's hard to try and visualize people into different spots, but his speed and power could place him in good stead, but having the skill is a totally different story. And being able to jump high does not make you a good header of the bsll, as evidenced by 6"7 Peter Crouch, who can certainly get his head to it, but cant do much with it.
BTW, Nalod, Lazio are know throughout football for their fascist minority of fans and Paulo Di Canio has been criticised in every country in Europe for the picture of him you posted. As dosger pointed out, Lazio are an Italian team, and the Germans are very cautious about showing any nazi/fascism in football. Unfortunately racism in football in Italy is a known problem, and many players have spoken out against it. BTW, would you believe that Paaulo Di Canio actually won the Sportsman of the Year award in England a few years back. A croos came in, and the goalkeeper slapped it out underpressure from a attacker, and swallowed his tongue in the process. Asnhe was lying there choking Di Canio's team-mate, not noticing crossed the ball to Di Canio to tap it in with no 'keeper, and he caught the ball instead of scoring an easy goal.
So far, the World Cup is shaping into a facinating tournament, and if some unfancied teams like Trinidad or Equador can get into the knockout stages, it could get very interesting. Did anyone else notice how biased the referee in the England match was towards the South American team? God, we need Rooney bad. C'mon England!!!!
Some men see things as they are and ask why. I dream things that never were and ask why not?
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6/11/2006 9:48 AM